Spurrier takes aim at struggling USC special teams

Tuesday

Sep 24, 2013 at 12:01 AMSep 25, 2013 at 12:33 AM

The unit has been among the SEC's worst through three games

By MATT CONNOLLYmatthew.connolly@shj.com

COLUMBIA — Through the first three games of the season, South Carolina’s special teams unit has been far from special.The Gamecocks are 13th in the SEC in kickoff returns and punt returns and last in the league in punting. Carolina also had two special-teams turnovers its last time out as Shon Carson fumbled a kickoff and a punt touched T.J. Gurley inadvertently, which Vanderbilt recovered. Head coach Steve Spurrier noted during his press conference Tuesday that the two best plays on special teams this year came when North Carolina dropped a punt in the opener and Georgia’s punter fumbled a snap the next week.“That’s our two biggest plays right there, the other team dropped the ball,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do there.”The Gamecocks are scoring points offensively, averaging 31 per game, but Spurrier said it would be nice to have a touchdown come from elsewhere.“I’m still waiting for some scoring to come from our defense and our special teams,” he said. “Hopefully that’s going to come real soon.”Defensive ends Jadeveon Clowney and Chaz Sutton may be the most likely candidates to initiate a defensive score, and Spurrier said both should be ready to go on Saturday.Clowney is battling a bone spur in his right foot that has hampered him throughout his collegiate career, while Sutton is dealing with a foot sprain that has bothered him since fall camp. “They were running around OK (Monday) and should do everything (at practice Tuesday),” Spurrier said. “From what the trainer said this morning they should do all the drills, running around and so forth.”Spurrier said the Gamecocks will need everyone healthy for UCF (3-0), which is coming off a bye week after an impressive win at Penn State.“(UCF is) a team that is sky-high. They are 3-0 for the first time since 1988,” Spurrier said. “A lot of them down there say this might be the biggest game they’ve ever had in the history of the school. They’ve got an opportunity if they win to obviously jump into the top 25 and have a chance maybe to beat everybody on their schedule.”Spurrier expects UCF to be ready to play as it hosts its first ranked team since 2009.“We know we’re going to get their best shot,” he said, adding that he expects his players to be ready to play as well. “They know the scenario of the game. They know the circumstances that we’re in. They know it’s going to be loud, and it’s an opportunity for South Carolina to take our football show on the road and see what we can do. Hopefully we can play very well.”USC quarterback Connor Shaw is not worried about the Gamecocks potentially looking past UCF.“They have every reason to be excited and having us come down to their place it’s going to be a big game, and we’re looking forward to it,” he said. “We’re not overlooking this game at all. It’s going to be a tough, hard-fought game.”